Sarah Crotty

I am orginally from France and studied there until high school. Then I did my first degree at Loughborough University reading Chemistry with analytical Chemistry. I enjoyed most of the modules, mostly physical chemistry and quantum mechanics linked modules. The research project conducted in my bachelor was on calix[4]arenes and analysing the binding affinity in the liquid phase. Further, went on a internship for one year in India conducting research for Malaria and Leishmaniasis in the Process Analytical in the R&D department. Further, I decided to persue my career by doing an AS:MIT programme at the University of Warwick. The first half of the year was taught modules, which involved many modules, which are instrument based and applied to biology and chemistry applications. Another module was also taught, which was stastistics and also conducted writing macros for images. I have chosen a research project on the characterisation of synthetic polymers using MALDI-TOF-MS/MS.

The master course was mostly focused on analytical science in many domains of science including Statistics, Biology, Chemistry. I have enjoyed the variety of skills where I learnt over these modules taught at the University of Warwick. Such as group projects (API in drugs), group presentations which involved conducting reasearch, laboratory work and writing in a group. This demanded good coordination and compromise to satisfy each others thoughts and implementations. The variety of subjects has allowed to broaden my views on the different aspects of research in chemistry with collaboration with different departments. I have involved myself in the Polymer group at the University of Warwick and have focused my research on the fragmentation patterns of different polymers. Different issues which have to be taken into account whilst using MALDI is the matrix, cationisation agent, the laser power versus the mass accuracy obtained, the size and the charge sites of the polymer.

It would be great to continue in this area of reasearch because it has many applications: medical, materials, environemental etc.

Title of my Project: Characterisation of synthetic polymers by MALDI-TOF-MS/MS